platt
flat
Level, flat, and without elevations.
EXAMPLE
Die Landschaft hier ist völlig platt, es gibt keine Hügel.
The landscape here is completely flat; there are no hills.
platt
flat / exhausted
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Meanings
platt
exhausted
Completely exhausted and without energy. Colloquial for tired.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Umzug war ich abends komplett platt und bin sofort eingeschlafen.
After the move, I was completely exhausted in the evening and fell asleep right away.
platt
flat
Refers to a tire that has no air or too little air.
EXAMPLE
Ich kam zu spät, weil ich unterwegs einen platten Reifen hatte.
I was late because I had a flat tire on the way.
platt
stunned
To be very amazed or speechless. Colloquial for surprised.
EXAMPLE
Als sie mir erzählte, dass sie auswandert, war ich erst mal platt.
When she told me she was emigrating, I was stunned at first.
platt
corny / crude
Disparagingly used for a statement or joke that is very simple, lowbrow, or unoriginal.
EXAMPLE
Seine platten Sprüche findet schon lange niemand mehr lustig.
No one has found his corny remarks funny for a long time.
platt
Low German
Refers to Low German, a group of dialects spoken in northern Germany.
EXAMPLE
Meine Großeltern unterhalten sich manchmal auf platt, damit ich nichts verstehe.
My grandparents sometimes talk in Low German so that I don't understand anything.
Usage tips
Register: neutral vs. colloquial
The basic meaning 'flach' (flat) is neutral. However, the figurative meanings such as 'erschöpft' (exhausted), 'erstaunt' (amazed), or 'niveaulos' (lowbrow) are colloquial and should not be used in formal contexts.
EXAMPLE
Die Pfannkuchen müssen schön dünn und platt sein.
The pancakes need to be nice and thin and flat.
Predicative use only
In the meaning 'erschöpft' (exhausted), 'platt' is used only predicatively, that is, after a verb like 'sein' (to be). You cannot say 'ein platter Mensch' if you mean that the person is tired.
EXAMPLE
Ich gehe heute früh ins Bett, ich bin einfach nur platt.
I'm going to bed early today; I'm just exhausted.
Fixed expression: einen Platten haben
In connection with a tire, the colloquial expression 'einen Platten haben' (to have a flat) is very common. Here, the adjective is used as a noun: 'der Platte'.
EXAMPLE
Wir müssen anhalten, ich glaube, wir haben einen Platten.
We need to stop; I think we have a flat.
Expression for surprise
When someone is 'platt' (stunned), it can also mean that he or she is speechless with surprise. Here too, the word is used only predicatively, often with 'sein' (to be) or 'machen' (to make).
EXAMPLE
Seine Reaktion hat mich echt platt gemacht.
His reaction really stunned me.
Typical collocations
When something is described as 'platt' (corny/crude), it is unoriginal or primitive. Typical combinations are 'ein platter Witz' (a corny joke), 'ein platter Spruch' (a corny remark), or 'eine platte Ausrede' (a lame excuse).
EXAMPLE
Er versucht immer, mit platten Komplimenten Eindruck zu machen.
He always tries to make an impression with corny compliments.
Use as a language
When referring to the dialect, 'Platt' can be used like a noun without an article. You say 'Platt sprechen' (to speak Low German) or 'etwas auf Platt sagen' (to say something in Low German).
EXAMPLE
An der Küste können noch viele alte Leute Platt sprechen.
On the coast, many older people can still speak Low German.
Compare with
platt vs flach
flat / shallow
Both words can describe a surface without noticeable raised areas. „Flach“ mainly emphasizes limited height or depth, while „platt“ tends to highlight a completely level or compressed shape. Use „flach“ for limited depth and „platt“ when something is completely flat or compressed.
platt
Nach dem Umzug war die leere Schachtel ganz platt zusammengedrückt.
After the move, the empty box was completely flattened.
flach
Die flache Schachtel ist nur fünf Zentimeter tief und passt unter das Bett.
The shallow box is only five centimeters deep and fits under the bed.
In real life
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